Extension elevator for potato diggers



June 12, 1928. l;673,193

B. GRONKE ET AL 'EXTENSION ELEVATOR FOR POTATO DIGGERS Filed Jan. 10,1924, 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 12, 1928.

B. GRONKE ET AL EXTENSION ELEVATOR FOR POTATO DIGGERS Filed Jan. 10,1924 www MM R v 3% QM Patented June 12, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,673,193 PATENT OFFICE.

BARNEY GRONKE AND CHARLES F. CRUMB, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO IINTERNATIONAL HARVESTER COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OFNEW JERSEY.

EXTENSION ELEVATOR FOR POTATO DIGGERS.

Application filed January 10, 1924. Serial No. 685,333.

This invention relates to potato diggers of the elevator type. Undercertain cnditions it is desirable to use an auxiliary conveyer as anextension of the main conveyer or elevator carried by the digger, andthe principal object of this invention is to pro vide an auxiliaryelevator that will be readily attachable to the upper end of a diggerbody and which will be so constructed that it will be rigidly andsecurely held in proper position and, at the same time, be free of crossmembers or arches connecting the upper'edges of its side plates as washeretofore found necessary, which members were objectionable because ofobstruction they furnished to free travel of the vines, etc.,

raised by the digger.

A further object is to provide a construction in which the side platesof the extension elevator are reinforced by bars of special form, theupper ends of which are made to serve as points of attachment for theadjusting mechanism of theextension.

The invention accordingly resides in the organization and details ofconstruction, or equivalents thereof, hereinafter described and moreparticularly defined in the claims.

Referring to the drawings accompanying the application,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a rear portion of a potato digger with thesupporting axle and drive shaft in section and with the elevatorextension shown in position;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the rear end of a potato digger. with theelevtor extension in position;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the elevator extensionwith theconveyer omitted;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of the hinge members connecting theextension to the digger;

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the bracket with which the hinge memberscooperate;

' Fig. 6 is a detail view showlng the hinge member and bracket of Figs.4 and 5 assembled; and

Figs. 7 and 8 are plan and edge views, respectively, of a retaining clipused to connect the hinge member and bracket.

The illustrative device is shown in connection with an elevator type ofdigger comprising generally the longitudinally extending side sills 10which carry the side plates 11 and the rear or upper ends of which aresupported on the axle 12 journaled in the bearing brackets 13, which aresecured under the sills in any suitable manner. The axle 12 is supportedon the carrying wheels 14 and serve to drive the upper or'main conveyershaft 15 by means of drive gears 16 fixed thereon and meshing with drivepinions 17 on the ends of shaft 15. The sills 1O carry a transverselyextending seat supporting arch 18, which is preferably braced bydiagonally extending members 19, as shown in Fig. 1. The shaft 15 hasthe usual conveyer sprockets 20 fixed thereto over which is trained theendless rod-link elevator or conveyer 21, which passes over suitablesprockets at the lower end of the digger (not shown), and preferably hasits lower run passing over supporting rollers 22 on the under sides ofthe sills. 1

The construction so far described is conventional and forms no part ofthe present invention except as it cooperates therewith. The extensionelevator shown comprises side plates 23 which are comparatively wide attheir forward ends and taper toward the rear. The longitudinal edges ofthe plates 23 are flanged by bending the edges of the plate out as at23' to give them rigidity and the lower edges of the plates areconnected by brace members 24. Near the lower edges of the platesadjacent and at their rear ends there is journaled a drive shaft 26carrying sprockets. said plates rotate on trunnions held in place by therod 25, these sprockets carrying the conveyer 27. The drive shaft 26carries a sprocket pinion which is connected by drive chain 28 to asprocket pinion on the shaft 15 from which the shaft 26 is driven. Sideextension plates 29 serve to guide the material. toward the ground andare preferably provided at the rear ends of each side plate. The meansshown for mounting the extension on the digger comprises the hingemembers 30, one of which is secured to the forward ends of each plate 23by means of longitudinally extending strap portions 31 bolted orotherwise secured to the outer faces of the respec-. tive plates. Eachmember 30 is formed with an inwardly offset bearing-head 32preferablyintegral with the strap portion 31. This bearing-head is of the forkedtype and is formed to embrace, and pivot on, inward extensions of thejournal brackets for the Two sprockets at the front of shaft 15 of thedigger inside the plane of the plates 23. The journal brackets carryingt 1e upper conveyer shaft 15 of the digger include integral extensionscomprising radial arms 33 and 341', which are spaced apart approximately90 degrees and connected at their outer ends by an arcuate guide track35. The bearing brackets which carry shaft 15 are secured directlybeneath the upper ends of the sills 10 and the offset bearingheads 32 ofthe hinge members fit on sleeve extensions thereof at the inner sides ofthe bracket-heads and in contact with (as shown in Figs. f and 6) thearcuate guide track 35 engaging the outer sides of thestrap portions 31at a point intermediate their lengths. In order to retain the elevatorextension .in position, each of the strap members 31 has secured'theretoa detachable clip 36 which has a body portion adapted to be secured tothe-hinge member at a point between the arms 33 and 34 and'inside of thetrack 35 and be retained there as by a bolt 37. This clip has an offsetlip 36 which overlaps and engages the outer side of the arcuate track 35in a manner to permit free sliding movement of the hinge member on saidtrack as the elevator extension is adjustedabout its pivot. Thisconstruction retains the hinge in position on its support and alsoprevents lateral movement.

i It will be evident that the interlocking relation of the hinge members30 with the guide portions 35 and the bracket sleeves on shaft 15affords a construction which retains the elevator firmly in position andat the same timebraces and strengthens the forward portions of the sideplates 23. As further. reinforcing means for the plates there areprovided reinforcing bars 38 secured to the outer faces of each of theplates; Each of these bars extends from a point at the up- I per forwardedge of the plate 23 rearwardly and downwardly in a diagonal directionacross the face of. the plate. Preferably,

each bar 38 extends for a distance substantially parallel to andadjacent the upper edge of the plate 23 and then is angled to extenddownwardly to a point near the lower edge ofthe plate and about half waybetween its ends. .This construction in conjunction with the strap 31efficiently reinforces and braces the side plate and eliminates. thenecessity for any connection between the upperedges of the two plates23. As adjusting means for the extension, the seat supporting arch'18carries a transverse shaft having a lever 39' secured thereto. Each endof this shaft is provided with a crank 40,'and rods 41 connect thesecranks with collars 42, which are pivoted to the'forward ,ends of thereinfo'rcing'bars 38. Each rod 4L1 is preferably made adjustable in thecol lars 42, as by means of stop nuts 43 threaded on the end thereof.

It will be plain that, with the simple construction described, theelevator extension can be readily detached and that, while in positionon the digger, the extension will be firmly retained in any desiredposition of adjustment, the reinforced side plates requiring no tie rodsor braces'between their edges as heretofore found necessary. It is alsoto be noted that the novel hinge connection disclosed is not limited tothe particular elevator extension shown, but is capable of use with anypivoted attachment or extension on the rear of the digger.

The structure above-described exemplifies extension conveyer comprisngside plates carrying an auxiliary conveyer, hinge members having strapportions secured on the outer sides of the respective plates and havinginwardly offset bearing heads, brackets pivotally supporting the bearingheads projecting from said shaft adjacent the outer. sides of saidbearing heads and having arcuate guide portions in slidable engagementwith intermediate portions ofsaid strap members, projectionscooperating. with the hinge members to embrace the arcuate portions ofthe brackets, and means for maintaining said engagement.

2. In potato diggers, the combination with the upper conveyer shaft of adigger of an extension conveyer comprising side plates carrying anauxiliaryconveyer, hinge members comprising strap portion-s secured onthe outer sidesof the respective plates and bearingheads positionedinside the planes of said side plates, shaft brackets projecting fromsaid shaft adjacent the outer sides of. said bearing heads and havingarcuate guide portions substantiallyradially spaced from.

said bearing heads in contact withanintermediate portion ofsaid straps,and. radially extending means on the straps. for slidably interlockingthem with said guide portions, said bearing heads, being pivotallysupported by the shaft brackets.

3. In apotato digger, a wheel supported frame, a main conveyer. carriedby, said frame, means fonopertiting. said conveyer, an extensionconveyer arranged to be readily attached to the digger so as to receivematerial from said main conveyer, cooperating members upon said frameand said extension conveyer for, pivotally mounting said extensionconveyer on said frame, slidably interfitting parts on said members forpermitting said extension conveyer to be..,moved into operative positionbehind said main conveyer, and'means for locking said extension conveyerin pivotal operative relationship to said main conveyer in all pivotalpositions of the extension conveyer, said locking means acting with oneof said cooperating members to form a fork-shaped structure for slidablyreceiving the other of said cooperating members.

4. In a potato digger, a Wheel supported frame, a main conveyer carriedby said frame, means for operating said conveyer, an extension conveyerarranged to be readily attached to the digger so as to receive materialfrom the main conveyer, cooperating members upon said frame and saidextension conveyer for pivotally mounting said extension conveyer onsaid frame, slidably interfitting parts on said members for permittingIn testimony whereof We aflix our signatures.

BARNEY GRONKE. CHARLES F. CRUMB.

